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Arkansas in July

Hello everyone. I'm heading down from Illinois to Fayetteville, Arkansas in Mid-July. From there I'm planning on heading down to Shreveport, LA and then over to Alamogordo, NM. Can anyone share any experiences with this area of Arkansas? Do I just blow through on 540 to Ft Smith and head west on 40, or is it worth it to extend the trip and take 71 from Fayetteville to Shrevport, then head across on 20? Any recommendations are welcome as the only places I have to go is Fayetteville and then Alamogordo. Thanks in advance.

If U have the time, try this. Take Ar.(Sweet) 16 southeast out of Fayetteville to Scenic 7. Take 7 south to Caddo Valley. U will luv this ride. U can pick up I-30 south to Texarkana then pick up 71 to Shreveport. There is a new bypass at Texarkana south towards Shreveport, can't remember the #. Enjoy your ride in Ar. .

How many twisties are you up for? I assume you'll be coming in on I-44 in Missouri?? There are numerous entertaining ways to get to Texarcana...how much time do you have?

Gerald

Yes. 44 to Monett and south on 37 & 62 to Fayetteville. I'm spending one night in Fayetteville and am scheduled to be in Abilene,TX the next night. So I don't have a lot of time to kill unfortunately. Just wondering whether I should just say on the slabs or find a more scenic route.

If U have the time, try this. Take Ar.(Sweet) 16 southeast out of Fayetteville to Scenic 7. Take 7 south to Caddo Valley. U will luv this ride. U can pick up I-30 south to Texarkana then pick up 71 to Shreveport. There is a new bypass at Texarkana south towards Shreveport, can't remember the #. Enjoy your ride in Ar. .

I would love to hit 7, but I think time is against my going East when I need to be in Abilene that night.

For a detour that will make memories, be sure to take AR Hwy 23 South from Eureka Springs. It'll dump you right on to Interstate 40 and you'll be back on your way to Abilene. Hwy23 is locally called "the Pig Trail" (think Razorbacks)and was rated among the 20 best driving roads in the world by CAR & DRIVER magazine a few years back. Good times!

Yes. 44 to Monett and south on 37 & 62 to Fayetteville. I'm spending one night in Fayetteville and am scheduled to be in Abilene,TX the next night. So I don't have a lot of time to kill unfortunately. Just wondering whether I should just say on the slabs or find a more scenic route.

If you want a good break from the slab that wont cost you much extra time, exit I-44 at Mt. Vernon onto 39 South. (39 doesn't get interesting until about 7 miles or so past Aurora.) Take 76 West (you should be smiling by now) to 86 South towards Eagle Rock. From 86 take 23 to Eureka Springs. In Eureka Springs, you can either take 62 over to 71, and drone on in to Fayetville, but my choice would be to continue on down 23 to Huntsville and take 74 over to Fayetville. While these are not anywhere near the best roads the area has to offer, it beats the heck out of running interstate. (IMHO)

As njnear mentioned, the Talimena Scenic Drive is awesome! If you study the map closely, you could take the Drive over in to Oklahoma, cruise on down through Broken Bow, and navigate down to I-30 and slab it on in to Abilene.

So many roads and so little time. It's a curse. Do your trip and come back another time and really do a more extended tour of the the Ozark and Ouachita hills and mountains. These are like fine wine, they need to be ridden and savoured, not slammed down like a cheap 6 pack at a frat party. Barry

Yep. I see a few trips to that area of the Country will just have to be made. Unfortunately, this trip is on a time table that I have little control over, at least the first half. Thanks to everyone who has provided input. I fully intend to hit each and every one of the routes you mentioned. Just can't do them all in July. Wife is thinking of putting a trip together where we can hit all of these at once on another more relaxed ride when she can enjoy riding as well. This trip in July will see her in her car with the kids, only going as far and Fayetteville. Thanks again to everyone.

71 hiway

.... to 86 South towards Eagle Rock. From 86 take 23 to Eureka Springs. In Eureka Springs, you can either take 62 over to 71, and drone on in to Fayetville, but my choice would be to continue on down 23 to ..... While these are not anywhere near the best roads the area has to offer,........
GW

Well I'll be looking you up next time I'm down there - those are some pretty fantastic roads!

I've made the trip to Fayetteville, many, many times (last time 3 weeks ago). I used to live in Rogers, AR also. You have some excellent opportunities.

My choice to make time and see the Ozarks would be to dive south towards Branson on 65. It's 4 lane slab and can be busy depending on day and season, but for a 4 lane it's somewhat scenic. Point is, it gets you to some nice riding pretty fast. After Branson jump off on hwy 86 west, then 13 south, then 21 south, 221 south, 62 west to one of my favorite roads, 23 south at Eureka Springs, then 12 west (my very favorite road) to 45 into Fayetteville.

I've taken probably every conceivable route down and this is nice, but you have to watch the signs. Beware - not roads for the weary. My route will add about an hour vs your proposed route which is pretty boring and traffic clogged fyi. I guarantee you will get stuck behind a number of pick ups and chicken trucks going 50 mph. In fact, if you're under time constraints, you would just be better off heading straight to 71 off of 44. It seems out of the way but it's been opened up most of the way to 4 lane and moves pretty well. Any of these routes are easily doable in one day from your location. Usually takes me about 12 hours (with stops for lunch and dinner) from Cedar Grove, WI, slabbing until Branson.

From Fayetteville down, if you can swing it, head back to 23 and take the famous "Pig Trail" as mentioned above. It's a destination trip for many a rider. Stay on 23 to 71to Mena, then do the Talimena Pkwy, again, as mentioned above. From there 271 to 71. I've headed south to Paris on the Trnpk and you can make time, and it's not all that bad scenery wise. That's as far as I've gone. If you can't make it back to 23, just slab it down 540 which is again, fairly scenic as it goes through the Boston Mountains. It will take you pretty fast down to 71 and then Mena which I would not miss. http://www.hdforums.com/articles/200...sure.html#more